Page 60 of Lesson In Honesty

“Oh, there is. You’ll find that out soon enough. The problem is,” he said after a small pause, risking Grit’s wrath, “you’re wired to the pain, sweetie. This fear that’s got your pulse racing faster than a Thoroughbred in the Derby isn’t because of your Dom or this situation. You hear anal or ass fucking, or any of the other wonderfully colorful terminology, and it hits your switch.”

“Watch your step,” Grit snapped.

He was, very fucking carefully. Maybe if Tabitha wasn’t giving him a suspicious side eye, he’d have shut up, but there was a wary curiosity he couldn’t ignore. “It’s going to be painful, no matter how gentle Grit is, because you’re bracing for pain. Up here,” he murmured, tapping a finger to his temple, “is your worst enemy. Are you going to let it win?”

She shook her head. “No.”

That was too demure, too submissive. “Are you sure? Sounds like it’s already won.”

Oh, she didn’t like that. “No, it hasn’t.”

He lifted a shoulder. “I think it has. Give it up, guys, she’s beat.”

“I am not!” More conviction, good.

“Tell me then. Are you gonna let your brain win?”

“No.”

Perfect. She put herself right where he wanted her of her own volition. With a snap of his fingers, he pointed to a spot two feet in front of him. “Good. Turn it off, find your headspace, and strip.”

Fuck. It was written all over her face. So was refusal, he noted, that instinctive knee-jerk reaction to being given a command she didn’t like. She held his gaze before movement to his right caught her attention, and Sierra stepped into the spot he’d indicated and did exactly what he’d asked.

The pixie undressed quickly, neatly folding her clothes and setting them in a pile to the side. When she was naked, sheturned and held out her hand silently until Tabitha closed her eyes, blew out a shaky breath, and accepted it.

The little blonde was slower to strip, her fingers shaking as she finished unbuttoning her shirt. It fluttered to the floor as she kicked off her heels, then froze.

“It’s okay, Tabby,” he heard Sierra whisper. “I’ve got you.”

The skirt, bra, and thong were removed a lot faster thanks to her assistance.

Grit walked around to join Liam, the pair of them standing like sentinels as Sierra tugged her friend to stand beside her. Like a good girl, she presented herself with her feet hip-width apart, her hands linked behind her back, and her head up. Eyes cast down to the floor.

Tabitha faltered slightly, adopting a less graceful stance. Her hand tentatively reached out for Sierra’s before she curled it into a fist and snatched it back.

“Beautiful,” he crooned, glancing at the other Doms to indicate they should take control. “Relax, Tabitha. We’re not a firing squad. Might want to exhale before you pass out.”

He saw her expel the breath from the corner of his eye, but his attention was on Liam. The asshole gestured to the girls with a flick of his wrist, smirking all the while. Beside him, Grit’s jaw tensed, but he jerked his chin in agreement.

Apparently, they were letting him lead.

Straightening to his full height, he meandered slowly around the subs, reading them. They were so different—Sierra was calm, patiently awaiting orders, while subtly trembling with what he hoped was simply nervous excitement. Tabitha, however, was far from calm, openly shaking, and holding on to her self-control by the skin of her teeth.

On his second pass around, Mack leaned in close to Sierra. “Take her hand, pixie. She needs a lifeline, give it to her.”

“Yes, Sir,” she whispered.

Trusting her to offer comfort, he stepped over to the small table Merrick had fashioned out of a couple of boxes and a quarter sheet of plyboard. Picking up a set of four sheepskin cuffs, he tossed them at Grit. The second pair went to Liam.

It was interesting being a voyeur. His fingers itched to touch the soft skin on Sierra’s forearms as the cuffs wrapped around her wrists, yet it was intriguing to see how gentle both Doms were with their women.

How similar their styles were as they slipped the sheepskin-lined leather bands around each limb, tightening them in tandem, then checking the fit.

They knelt almost in sync to cuff their subs’ ankles, although the rhythm was spoiled slightly when Tabitha reflexively tried to kick hers off and nearly kneed Grit in the face.

Mack took a page from Liam’s book and growled. “Enough, Tabitha.”

Sierra squeezed her friend’s hand gently.

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